Territorial Envy
by Caz251
Summary: Summary: Rhys thinks about the envy he feels where Jack Harkness is concerned. Written for the tw lucky 7 challenge involving the prompt envy and the character Rhys. Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood.


**Title:** Territorial Envy

**Characters:** Rhys with mentions of Jack, Ianto and Gwen

**Word Count:** 739

**Rating:** pg-13

**Summary:** Rhys thinks about the envy he feels where Jack Harkness is concerned.

**Spoilers:** General Spoilers for Torchwood

**Disclaimer:** Torchwood doesn't belong to me but the BBC, I'm just borrowing.

**Author's notes: **Written for the **tw_lucky_7** challenge involving the prompt _envy_ and the character _Rhys_.

He couldn't stand Captain Jack Harkness, it wasn't that he hated him, but rather that he envied him. Harkness was the big damned hero, all flash with his charm and his good looks, he was someone that Rhys could never measure up to. One thing he really envied was that he took up so much of his wife's time, he knew her job was important and that aliens could invade at any time, but Gwen was too exited and quick to leave him when Torchwood called. He knew that her enthusiasm and excitement about her work led back to Harkness. And although he knew that there was nothing between them he couldn't stop the feelings of jealousy rising. He knew that what Gwen felt for Harkness was only infatuation, one that she would never act upon, but the way they acted when together made him green with envy.

He had been told by almost everyone who knew of him that Harkness was a consummate flirt, but no-one had ever known him to intrude upon an established relationship. From what he himself had observed he saw Harkness' flirting as a front, a cover, it all seemed rather fake. He soon realised that he had nothing to fear from Jack Harkness and that his jealousy was unfounded.

When the other man let his guard down at his and Gwen's wedding reception dancing with Ianto he soon realised that he was once again jealous of Harkness. He wasn't jealous because he had Ianto, he personally didn't care for a persons preference, but he was straight. His jealousy was simply because of the way that they were together, they fitted. He knew that he and Gwen fit as well, but he was jealous of what they had that he and Gwen didn't.

While he now knew what Gwen did as a job and he was more involved with that part of her life, there were still many things she couldn't tell him. Jack and Ianto didn't have that barrier of secrecy between them like they did. Sure there were bound to be things that Jack couldn't tell Ianto, mainly due to him being in charge, he was positive that there would be different levels of clearance in Torchwood, but they could at least talk about their day. He didn't have that with Gwen, he'd talk about his day while she ignored him in favour of thinking about things she couldn't talk to him about.

He hated that he hardly got to spend time with Gwen due to her work, but even when working Jack and Ianto were still together. He envied them that, he knew that he would never be good enough for Torchwood, but there were times that he wished he was, just so that he could spend more time with Gwen. There were days when he would do almost anything to work for Torchwood, even though he knew the dangers, just so he could protect Gwen.

He knew that the job was a dangerous one, and while he knew that Jack and Ianto would worry about each other, he couldn't help but envy them. They worried about each other, but they at least had an approximation of how much they needed to worry, he didn't. He was not on the inside, he had no idea how much danger his wife could be in, but he worried just as Jack and Ianto did for each other. He envied them because they were at least able to alleviate each others worry by allowing the other to see that they were alright. He didn't have that luxury with Gwen, he wasn't even told when she had been in danger. At least Jack and Ianto knew when the other was in danger and were able to protect each others back.

He really did envy Harkness and Jones for that matter, the fact that they were able to protect each other from danger when he wasn't even told about the danger that his wife was often in. The day in the warehouse was an exception, he had been able to protect Gwen, once she had put them all in danger. He had saved the day, and his wife, on their wedding day, but that wasn't enough. He envied Harkness for the protection he could give Jones and vice versa, but also because it was Harkness that protected his wife as well, something that was Rhys' job.


End file.
